A variety of herbal and plant extracts are available today for treating many diseases affecting the human body. Some preparations have been known for thousands of years while others are just being discovered to have highly curative effects. Effective plant extracts are highly desired as a natural way to treat diseases. It is believed that natural preparations will not have an adverse effect on the body compared to synthetic preparations.
The Nigella sativa plant is cultivated for its seeds which are used for medicinal purposes. Nigella sativa L. seeds come from an herbaceous plant that belongs to the Ranunculaceae family. The plant is a dicotyledon and is cultivated in various parts of the world, especially in Eastern Mediterranean countries and also in India, Bangladesh, Turkey and Pakistan. It is also grown in other places having similar climates, such as East Africa, North Africa and the Middle East. The plant is characterized by an erect branched stem and alternating, finely divided, feathery, grayish-green leaves. The bluish-white, star-shaped flowers are terminal and solitary, and there are no petals. The fruit is a globase capsule with small black, rough seeds. Other species of Nigella include Nigella arvensis and Nigella damascena. 
The seeds of Nigella sativa are known as Habbatul Baraka (meaning the seed of good fortune) and El Habba El Sawdaa (meaning Black Seed) in the Mediterranean region. The seeds are also known as Kalajira or Kalaoji and Black Cumin in the Indian subcontinent. Nigella sativa L. seeds have been used as a natural remedy for over 4,000 years in various parts of the world, particularly in the Near and Middle East. In the authentic tradition and sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) which are documented in “Hadeeth” books he is quoted as saying: “In the Black Seed there is healing for every illness except death.”
There is a need in the art for new pharmaceutical compounds and compositions that are derived from natural sources, like plants. The present invention is directed to this, as well as other, important ends.